The Air Force massacre of scores teenagers at the Sencholai children’s home in Vallipunam triggered outrage and anger amongst the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. But whilst some international actors criticized the bombing, others were conspicuously muted, even silent.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka’s largest Tamil political party, said the aerial bombardment on the well known children’s home “clearly indicates that the attack was premeditated, deliberate and vicious.”
The TNA appealed to the International Community “to take the earliest possible action to stop the Sri Lankan State from proceeding with its genocidal program.”
Tamil expatriates in North America, Europe and Australasia demonstrated and held vigils in protest.
Participants urged the international community to intervene to stop the atrocities of Sri Lanka armed forces and associated paramilitaries against Tamils in the Northeast.
Anger and outrage amongst Tamil Nadu’s population prompted an unprecedented condemnation of Sri Lanka by the state Assembly, with the unanimous backing of all parties.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi called for the parties’ unity to continue.
“Now the war is against the Sinhala racist forces,” Karunanidhi said, adding that in the war against Sinhala dominance, there may be competition in redeeming the lives of Tamils, but there should be no “infighting among the brothers”.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also condemned the attack. Protesting that innocents were being killed in the rising strife on the island, the CPI-M demanded the Indian government intervene to produce peace talks.
The Swiss government described the bombing as “an outrage.”
UN officials criticised the bombing, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan described by a UN spokesman as “ profoundly concerned at the rising death toll including reports of dozens of students killed in a school as a result of air strikes in the northeast.”
“These children are innocent victims of violence,” said Ann Veneman, head of the UN Children’s Fund. “We call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure children and the places where they live, study and play are protected from harm. “
But the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka’s donor community - United States, European Union and Japan – maintained a public silence.
The ICRC, which condemned a similar SLAF airstrike in 1999 which killed 21 civilians, this time avoided comment.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka’s largest Tamil political party, said the aerial bombardment on the well known children’s home “clearly indicates that the attack was premeditated, deliberate and vicious.”
The TNA appealed to the International Community “to take the earliest possible action to stop the Sri Lankan State from proceeding with its genocidal program.”
Tamil expatriates in North America, Europe and Australasia demonstrated and held vigils in protest.
Participants urged the international community to intervene to stop the atrocities of Sri Lanka armed forces and associated paramilitaries against Tamils in the Northeast.
Anger and outrage amongst Tamil Nadu’s population prompted an unprecedented condemnation of Sri Lanka by the state Assembly, with the unanimous backing of all parties.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi called for the parties’ unity to continue.
“Now the war is against the Sinhala racist forces,” Karunanidhi said, adding that in the war against Sinhala dominance, there may be competition in redeeming the lives of Tamils, but there should be no “infighting among the brothers”.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also condemned the attack. Protesting that innocents were being killed in the rising strife on the island, the CPI-M demanded the Indian government intervene to produce peace talks.
The Swiss government described the bombing as “an outrage.”
UN officials criticised the bombing, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan described by a UN spokesman as “ profoundly concerned at the rising death toll including reports of dozens of students killed in a school as a result of air strikes in the northeast.”
“These children are innocent victims of violence,” said Ann Veneman, head of the UN Children’s Fund. “We call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure children and the places where they live, study and play are protected from harm. “
But the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka’s donor community - United States, European Union and Japan – maintained a public silence.
The ICRC, which condemned a similar SLAF airstrike in 1999 which killed 21 civilians, this time avoided comment.
